Technology

The game is in desperate need of new shake-ups, and two fan-favorite heroes alongside some quality-of-life changes might just do the trick.

Here are hints and the answer for today's Wordle for July 2, No. 1,474.

Here are some hints and the answers for the NYT Connections puzzle for July 2, #752.

Here are hints and answers for the NYT Strands puzzle for July 2, No. 486.

Here are hints and the answers for the NYT Connections: Sports Edition puzzle for July 2, No. 282

If you're getting impatient waiting for Apple to release its long-promised AI upgrade for Siri, well, Apple might agree. There have been reports that Apple is talking with OpenAI and Anthropic about letting one of them power the next generation of Siri.

This would be truly surprising considering how close Apple usually keeps its tech development. If AI plays as big a role as Apple has implied it will in the future, this could be the foundation for a very different company.

And that is something I hope happens. It's not about cheering for the downfall of Apple’s in-house pride. I want this to happen not because I think Apple is incapable of building something great, but because I’ve been living with Siri for over a decade, and at this point, it feels like an ancient Dictaphone compared to communicating with today's AI chatbots.

Even with all the Apple Intelligence announcements this year, Siri still feels more like a feature than a full personality. You can ask her to set timers, maybe control your lights, but be careful how you speak or how conversational you get if you want it to still carry out your requests. By comparison, ChatGPT and Claude seem far quicker, more adaptable, and better at both understanding what people say and communicating back.

If Apple wants to finally make Siri feel like an assistant and not just a vaguely robotic concierge, borrowing someone else’s brain is a smart move. Apple and its Foundation Models group have been working on large language models for a while now, but progress has been mostly invisible to the average consumer. Breakthrough AI features, like contextual awareness and multi-step reasoning, just aren’t there yet.

While Apple is famous for taking its time to get it right (except for the Apple Maps fiasco), the rest of the world isn’t waiting. Google is stuffing Gemini into everything, while Microsoft has ChatGPT running in Office. Even Meta has Meta AI chat available on Instagram. Siri is still not where you go if you have follow-up questions about anything.

Siri AI

Sometimes, the smart thing is to stop fiddling with your own blueprint and just lease the engine. And these engine options are both pretty powerful. OpenAI’s GPT-4o can carry on fluent conversations, understand tone, and juggle complex context. Anthropic’s Claude is similarly capable, albeit with a reputation for more caution and focus on safety concerns, something Apple reportedly likes. Both companies are at the top of the field. Either one would instantly give Siri a massive IQ boost.

Of course, there are trade-offs. Apple loves control. Letting someone else power Siri means giving up a little bit of that control. What happens if OpenAI changes its pricing model? What if Anthropic gets cozy with Amazon, their big investor? What if there’s a data breach?

These are valid concerns. But Apple’s already shown it can integrate external AI in a way that keeps user data private. Their recent Apple Intelligence rollout uses something called Private Cloud Compute, which lets your data get processed on Apple’s own secure servers. Even when they do use ChatGPT for certain features, you have to opt in, and your requests aren’t stored.

Rumor has it Anthropic wants several billion dollars a year to license its tech. That’s not pocket change, even for Apple.

Rumor has it Anthropic wants several billion dollars a year to license its tech. That’s not pocket change, even for Apple. But it’s a lot cheaper than spending the next five years playing catch-up, especially if your catch-up product still doesn’t do what people expect from AI in 2025.

Apple could still develop its own AI models behind the scenes. It could roll them out when they are ready, while giving Siri a much-needed upgrade now. But, for most people, it doesn't matter who built the AI brain, just that it works. If Siri can maintain a conversation and respond to different ways of phrasing something, that would be a big step up. If most people ask Siri to make a reservation at a restaurant and it happens without any stumbles, they're not going to say, “Wait, was this answer generated by Anthropic or OpenAI?” They’ll simply accept that it worked and move on.

So yes, let Siri team up with a working AI model. All these iPhones could use the IQ boost. I don’t need Siri to be uniquely Apple or unique at all. I just need it to be useful.

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• Google Gemini can more easily access your Phone and Messages apps
• Previously, you had to allow Gemini Apps Activity, reducing your privacy
• That's no longer the case, and comes as Gemini RCS support leaks too

Google looks set to give Google Gemini some serious upgrades by allowing it greater access to your apps without forcing you to tweak your privacy settings, and giving it new abilities within those apps.

You might have seen an email that Google sent to Android phone users stating that Gemini will be able to interact with the Phone, Messages, WhatsApp, and Utilities apps, even if you have Gemini Apps Activity switched off.

The immediate reaction was one of concern, but this is actually a huge privacy win.

(Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)

With Gemini Apps Activity switched on, Google can see an activity log of how you use Gemini – personal data it can then use to develop its products further. If you want to keep this data more private, you had to lose out on Gemini being able to access extensions, which allow it to perform actions using other apps, such as texting someone if you ask it to.

This change means you can keep your activity log private while still not losing out on these basic smart assistant features, which Google’s Assistant has had for years.

Though that’s not to say Google won’t store any of your Gemini activity even if this setting is off. Google admits it will store some activity data for at most 72 hours. It’s stored for 24 hours within Gemini so that the AI can respond to your conversations contextually. The longer limit is for security and safety reasons, which you can find out more about on Google’s support page.

RCS support incoming?

Perhaps in preparation for Gemini having easy access to Messages – and so presumably more people using the app – Gemini is getting an RCS upgrade too, apparently.

(Image credit: Apple)

That’s based on Android Authority’s analysis of the latest Google app files, which hints at RCS coming to Gemini because the AI can fetch the device’s RCS capabilities. This would only be necessary if the AI were RCS compatible.

This is significant because currently, Gemini’s inability to use RCS means it’s unable to send or play audio, images, or video through the Google Messages app. With access to this messaging standard, that could very quickly change.

As with similar leaks, there’s no guarantee that Gemini will get RCS support any time soon (or at all), but it certainly makes plenty of sense as an upgrade, so it’s one we’ll be keeping our eye out for.

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Bandits aren't the only things you have to worry about in the weird west. Red Dead Online players will now have to contend with swamp things, automatons and zombies.

• Anker just issued two separate recalls for some of its best power banks, spanning a total of six models
• Some of the power banks might pose a fire hazard
• If you qualify, you might be able to get a brand new power bank for free

Anker has just announced its second product recall this year – and while it's bad news for the brand, there could be a silver lining for you. If you own one of Anker's power banks, you might be eligible for a free replacement.

The company is recalling six different power bank models, citing issues with the lithium-ion battery inside. This includes models from Anker's Power Core, MagGo, and Zolo series, among others.

Below, we'll tell you everything you need to know about Anker's power bank recalls and what to do next.

Which Anker power banks are affected by the recall?

Anker has launched two separate recalls. One in early June included a single power bank model, while the more recent second expanded the list by an additional five models across a couple of Anker's product lines.

The power bank that was recalled first was the Anker PowerCore 10000 (A1263). If you bought the power bank through Amazon, you'd have received an email like the one we received below. The subject line would have been 'Attention: Important Safety Notice about your Past Amazon Order'.

(Image credit: Anker)

Not every PowerCore 10000 power bank was recalled. The recalled units only include the A1263 model, manufactured between January 1, 2016, and October 30, 2019. All of the recalled units were sold in the United States between June 1, 2016, and December 31, 2022.

The second recall was more comprehensive and included the following models:

• Anker Zolo Model A1681 (20K, 30-watt, with built-in USB-C and Lightning cables)
• Anker Zolo Model A1689 (20K, 30-watt, with built-in USB-C cable)
• Anker MagGo Model A1652 (7.5-watt, 10,000mAh)
• Anker Power Bank Model A1257 (10K, 22.5-watt)
• Anker Power Bank Model A1647 (22.5-watt, 20,000mAh, with built-in USB-C cable)

In these cases, Anker hasn't specified a manufacturing or sale date for the affected power banks. But in its 'voluntary recall' notice referring the above models, it stated that "while the likelihood of malfunction is considered minimal, out of an abundance of caution, we have decided to initiate a voluntary global recall of several Anker power bank models."

How to check if your Anker power bank has been recalled

(Image credit: Anker)

No matter which of the affected models you own, your first step will be to check the model and the serial number on the back or side of your power bank.

Not every unit from each model is being recalled, so even if you own one of these, it may not be eligible for replacement.

Next, you will have to input the serial number, along with a few other key details, on Anker's online recall form in order to check eligibility.

If it's confirmed to be one of the models affected, you should stop using it immediately and submit a product recall form. This contains information on how to request a gift card or replacement.

What can you get if your power bank qualifies?

If your power bank is affected by one of the recalls, Anker will either offer you a replacement or a gift card. Folks in the U.S. won't be receiving refunds, although Anker is offering refunds in China.

(Image credit: Anker)

In the case of the Power Core 10000, Anker says that you'll be offered a replacement power bank. If it's on back order, you can either choose a $30 gift card instead (to be used at Anker's store) or wait for the Power Core 10000 to be available again.

The second recall is slightly more vague, but Anker says that you'll be able to choose between a gift card or a replacement unit.

How to submit a recall claim

Once you're sure that you own one of the models listed above, submit your recall claim to Anker for verification.

• If you have the Anker Power Core 1000 (A1263), head to Anker's recall form for that model
• If you have one of the other power banks (A1257, A1647, A1652, A1681, A1689), go to this recall form instead.

In both cases, you may be asked for the serial number, proof of purchase, order number, and photos of the power bank.

If this fails, but you still think you're eligible for replacement, contact Anker's Support over live chat, email or phone.

Why are Anker power banks being recalled?

Anker hasn't gone into a whole lot of detail as to the cause of the recall, but in both cases, it seems that the problem lies with the battery.

When announcing the first recall, Anker said that these power banks could be a fire hazard due to a "potential issue with the lithium-ion battery." Reportedly, the battery can overheat, and if that happens, some of the plastic components might melt, resulting in smoke or even a fire.

In the case of the second recall, Anker revealed that it identified a potential issue with lithium-ion battery cells made by one of its vendors. The company admits that problems are unlikely, but it's being cautious and recalling all five of the affected models.

Can you still use your old power bank?

Once it's confirmed that your power bank is affected by the recall, you should stop using it immediately. Even if it seems to be working just fine, it poses a fire risk, so you should dispose of it as soon as possible.

Anker says that you shouldn't dispose of the battery "in the trash, general recycling streams (e.g., street-level or curbside recycling bins), or in used battery drop-off boxes commonly found at retail or home improvement stores".

Instead, Anker recommends discarding it at a local electronics disposal facility that accepts recalled devices powered by lithium-ion batteries. That's because recalled batteries need to be treated differently to regular ones due to their higher fire risk.

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• OWC Express 4M2 enclosure offers an alternative route to large, fast external storage
• Thunderbolt 3 on Windows cripples performance to well below the advertised maximum speed
• OWC Express 4M2 SSD slots are PCIe 4.0 x1 only, so individual drive speeds are limited

In a market saturated with expensive high-capacity storage, the OWC Express 4M2 enclosure offers an alternative route to large, fast external storage without immediately breaching the $3000 mark.

At $239.99 for the base configuration, this device cheaper than the TerraMaster D4 SSD and offers a flexible foundation for building what could amount to a 32TB setup when paired with four 8TB NVMe drives.

The company promotes this device as capable of up to 3200MB/s throughput, but real-world performance is highly variable.

Maximum speed requires RAID and careful system configuration

The four M.2 NVMe slots support only PCIe 4.0 x1, which limits individual drive performance to about 1600MB/s.

Reaching peak speeds, therefore, requires RAID configurations and optimal conditions, factors that introduce complexity.

It provides support for RAID 0, 1, 4, 5, and 10, but again, achieving these benefits depends on software licensing, drive quality, and user knowledge.

Users might be drawn by the enclosure’s speed, but should be aware that performance gains require effort and understanding.

Compatibility with USB4 and Thunderbolt standards across macOS and Windows gives the enclosure broad appeal, although actual speed will be gated by the host device.

For example, systems running on older Thunderbolt 3 ports under Windows are capped well below full bandwidth.

While macOS users gain extra features such as booting from RAID arrays, this is limited to systems running at least macOS 11.3.

The Express 4M2 does deliver in terms of construction and thermal management.

Its aircraft-grade aluminum chassis is paired with a dual-fan system that activates only under high thermal load, which ensures quiet operation in most scenarios.

OWC's inclusion of SoftRAID on some models introduces functionality typically reserved for more expensive storage systems.

For those trying to assemble a portable SSD setup or replace their external HDD with something faster, this enclosure makes economic sense, but only just.

However, the cost of filling all four bays with quality 8TB SSDs still pushes the total towards $3000, making this option practical only for those who can supply their own drives or already have SSDs on hand.

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A fresh selection of new Prime Video movies is on the way to the streaming platform throughout July, delivering a mix of genres, from drama and science-fiction to action and comedy, it’s all here. So whatever you’re in the mood for, there’s plenty to add to your Prime Video watchlist throughout the month. It’s easy to see why Amazon’s streamer continues to be one of the best streaming services around for movie lovers.

In our guide below, we’ve listed every new Prime Video movie that’s arriving in July, along with when you can expect each of them. If you’re only after the best of the bunch, then head straight to our list of the best Prime Video movies available now. Otherwise, read on to find out what’s on its way to Prime Video this July.

New Prime Video movies: July 1

• 2 Fast 2 Furious (2003)
• A Bridge Too Far (1977)
• A Fish Called Wanda (1988)
• Baby Boom (1987)
• Back to School (1986)
• Bandits (2001)
• Blown Away (1994)
• Blue Crush (2002)
• Blue Velvet (1986)
• Colors (1988)
• Creed II (2018)
• Death Warrant (1990)
• Double Impact (1991)
• Dressed to Kill (1980)
• Duck Soup (1933)
• Every Day (2018)
• Fast & Furious 6 (2013)
• Fast Five (2011)
• Fiddler on the Roof (1971)
• Gladiator (2000)
• Hart's War (2002)
• Hidden Figures (2017)
• Hoodlum (1997)
• How to Train Your Dragon 2 (2014)
• I Now Pronounce You Chuck & Larry (2007)
• Into the Blue (2005)
• Into the Blue 2: The Reef (2009)
• It Came From Outer Space (1953)
• K-PAX (2001)
• Leaving Las Vegas (1996)
• Licorice Pizza (2021)
• Little Fockers (2010)
• Little Man (2006)
• Mad Max (1980)
• Meet the Fockers (2004)
• Meet the Parents (2000)
• Mystic Pizza (1988)
• No Country for Old Men (2007)
• No Way Out (1987)
• Only Lovers Left Alive (2013)
• Paths of Glory (1957)
• Rings (2017)
• Robocop (1987)
• Robocop (2014)
• Robocop 2 (1990)
• Robocop 3 (1993)
• Rocky (1976)
• Rocky Balboa (2006)
• Rocky II (1979)
• Rocky III (1982)
• Rocky IV (1985)
• Rocky V (1990)
• Salt (2010)
• Saving Private Ryan (1998)
• Teen Wolf (1985)
• The 40 Year-Old Virgin (2005)
• The Addams Family (2019)
• The Addams Family 2 (2021)
• The Apartment (1960)
• The Bone Collector (1999)
• The Bounty Hunter (2010)
• The Fast and the Furious (2001)
• The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift (2006)
• The Funhouse (1981)
• The Great Train Robbery (1979)
• The Horse Soldiers (1959)
• The House Bunny (2008)
• The Hustle (2019)
• The Informant! (2009)
• The Perfect Storm (2000)
• The Usual Suspects (1995)
• Thunderbolt and Lightfoot (1974)
• What's the Worst That Could Happen? (2001)
• Windtalkers (2002)
• Witness for the Prosecution (1958)
• XXX: The Return of Xander Cage (2017)

New Prime Video movies: July 4

• Game Night (2018)

New Prime Video movies: July 11

• Better Man (2025)

New Prime Video movies: July 15

• Uncharted (2022)

New Prime Video movies: July 19

• Sabotage (2014)

New Prime Video movies: July 25

• Wicked (2024)

New Prime Video movies: July 30

• War of the Worlds (2005)

For more Prime Video-based coverage, check out our guides on The Night Agent season 2, Fallout season 2, Mr and Mrs Smith season 2, and the best Prime Video shows.

European giants battle it out in Florida for a place in the quarterfinals.

Rumors that Apple might make an affordable, multi-colored MacBook based on the A18 Pro chip sparked considerable excitement and ignited a hope in me and others that it could mark the return of the 12-inch MacBook.

Unveiled a decade ago, the gold-finished 2-lb, full-sized keyboard-sporting MacBook was, for its time, an engineering marvel. Apple arguably rewrote its laptop playbook to create the system.

Shortly after launch, I spoke to the marketing head Phil Schiller and Apple's Mac and iPad lead (and now Apple's senior vice president of Hardware Engineering) John Ternus about all Apple did to make the portable wonder.

The pair spread out before me things like a multi-tiered battery and something called the "speaktenna", which was basically a combination of Wi-Fi and Bluetooth antennas and a speaker system.

"We ended up with a group of antenna engineers who know more about speakers than any other antenna engineers and a group of speaker engineers who knew more about antenna design than just about anyone else in the world," Ternus told me.

There was a passion around the product that rivaled that of the Apple Watch, which launched alongside it.

The 12-inch MacBook was also a bit of an odd duck. It was lighter than a MacBook Air, but it was not an Air. It didn't have the same number of ports. In fact, there was just one USB-C port running at USB 3.1 speeds (pokey compared to the Thunderbolt 4 ones you find on today's MacBook airs). Oh, and did I mention that the port handled charging duties, too?

Encrusted with components on both sides, the 12-inch MacBook's motherboard was small enough to fit in the palm of my hand. Everything about the MacBook's components was built in support of its enviable proportions.

At its thickest part, it was, at 0.35cm, thinner than the current MacBook Air. I love the current 13-inch MacBook Air (M4), but I'd be lying if I said I wouldn't enjoy carrying around an even lighter, thinner, and smaller cousin.

It's fair, though, to ask why the market needs such a system now.

First, let's imagine what the MacBook 12-inch 2026 might be. It would have:

• An A18 Pro CPU
• 13-inch LED-backlit Retina display
• 16 GB of memory to support Apple Intelligence
• 128 GB of on-board storage
• 30GB of free iCloud storage
• A fanless design
• A MagSafe Charge port
• A USB-C style Thunderbolt 3 port
• Recycled aluminum enclosure
• A full-sized magic keyboard including Touch ID
• A 4-inch Force Touch Trackpad

Design-wise, the 12-inch MacBook A18 Pro would align closely with the MacBook Air line. No more wedge, instead two flat panels squeezed together into a 0.35cm-thick slab.

Granted that everything above is guesswork, but I believe that configuration would fit neatly into a $599 package (maybe even a $499 one).

Nothing here is new, and the A18 Pro is plenty powerful and efficient to run such a system.

The benefit, obviously, is an affordable, yet nearly full-sized portable that is a complete system. I am well aware you can buy an M4 Mac Mini for $599, but you still need to buy a mouse, keyboard, and screen. This, by contrast, would be the full Apple MacBook package at, finally, an affordable price.

You might have also noticed the rather paltry base storage. That's to help keep costs down. It's buttressed, though, by something Apple desperately needs to do: offer more versatile and forgiving iCloud storage options.

The usual 5GB of free storage is not enough, and I think the extra 30GB will offset the limited local storage, moving those who are on the fence about the 12-inch MacBook into the must-buy territory.

Give them what they want

If Apple balks at reintroducing the confusing "MacBook" name, especially when it's smaller and lighter than the MacBook Air, they could call it the MacBook Air LT (for light) or MacBook Air A (for its A-series chip).

One need only look at Walmart for evidence that consumers want such a system. It's been selling the old-school design MacBook Air M1 for $699 and now $649 for years. People are desperate for a truly affordable Mac, but they are probably tired of the growing performance compromises tied to the aging M1 chip.

The A18 Pro will sing in a tiny 12-inch laptop, and the system's incredibly small proportions will make it a hit with those who thought they might go for a lightweight iPad with a Magic Keyboard Folio, mainly because they thought it wouldn't weigh down their backpack.

Apple has learned, thanks to Apple Silicon, so much about building lightweight and performant systems that it makes sense to extend the MacBook idea in new and maybe unexpected directions.

A revived 12-inch MacBook would sell like hotcakes and pave the way for more fresh ideas, like a 12-inch MacBook Air running an M3 chip. That one could sell for $699.

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Are modern smartphone designs boring? We polled 1,500 readers for their thoughts on that very question earlier this year, and a whopping 78% of respondents answered in the affirmative.

The smartphone industry was once awash with weird and wonderful devices (remember the LG Wing?), but these days, manufacturers are – quite literally – much more straight-edged in their approach to design.

The exception to the rule is Nothing, which has stuck by its mission to “make tech fun again” since being founded by former OnePlus chief Carl Pei in 2021. Nothing phones are designed to stand out from the crowd, and the company’s latest handset, the long-awaited Nothing Phone 3, fulfils that brief and then some.

Nothing’s “first true flagship” is a truly weird-looking thing. Imagine if a kindergartner took an old-school sliding block puzzle game, dipped it in PVA glue, and accessorized it with three black sewing buttons. That’s the Nothing Phone 3. It’s an outlandish creation with specs to rival some of the best phones – and I think it could be the most interesting flagship launch of the year.

So, what’s new versus the well-received (but decidedly un-flagship) Nothing Phone 2? For starters, linear Glyph lights are out, and a new Glyph Matrix interface is in.

This interactive screen sits in the top-right corner of the Phone 3’s 6.67-inch rear panel and is capable of displaying several different types of content – from person-specific notifications to ‘Glyph Toys’ (read: party games) like Spin the Bottle and Rock, Paper, Scissors. Heck, Glyph Matrix can even double as a pixelated viewfinder for selfies, which is a nice retro touch for those who miss the Game Boy Camera.

Image 1 of 3

The new Glyph Matrix interface on the Nothing Phone 3 (Image credit: Future)Image 2 of 3

The Magic 8 Ball Glyph Toy (Image credit: Future)Image 3 of 3

The Magic 8 Ball Glyph Toy (Image credit: Future)

As for other big design changes, the Phone 3 still has that classic modular Nothing look. But its camera lenses sit independently of a physical module, rather than being positioned in a circular or pill-shaped casing, as on the Phone 3a and Phone 3a Pro, respectively.

I can see this new lens arrangement being the most controversial aspect of the Phone 3’s design, but I’m personally a big fan of the abstract, asymmetrical vibe it brings to the device as a whole. Previous Nothing phones looked unique, sure, but not to this extent.

(Image credit: Future)

Speaking of cameras, there’s a brand new one. The Phone 3 gets a 50-megapixel main lens, a 50MP ultra-wide lens, and an all-new 50MP telephoto lens with 3x optical zoom. Of course, we can’t yet say how good these cameras are without having tested them properly (stay tuned for our full review), but on paper, at least, they’re flagship-level snappers.

You’ll also get a 50MP selfie camera on the front, which marks a step up from the 32MP equivalent on the Nothing Phone 2. Oh, and the little red dot on the back of the Phone 3? That’ll light up when you’re recording with any one of its three rear cameras.

The Nothing Phone 3 running Nothing OS 3.5 atop Android 15 (Image credit: Future)

Under the hood, the Phone 3 is powered by the new Qualcomm Snapdragon 8s Gen 4 chipset. I’ve already written about why I don’t think the lack of a Snapdragon 8 Elite is a big deal in a separate piece, but we won’t know for sure until we’ve benchmarked the Phone 3 against similarly priced rivals.

Nothing, for its part, is confident in the performance credentials of its “first true flagship,” and having had a quick play with the Phone 3 at its London launch event, I’m convinced that the 8s Gen 4 will be speedy enough to support the software demands of Nothing OS 3.5 (and, eventually, Nothing OS 4.0).

The Phone 3’s chipset is paired with a 5,150mAh silicon-carbon battery, which is a technology you still won’t find in many of the best Android phones. You’ll get 65W fast charging, too – another notable upgrade over the Phone 2’s 45W charging speed cap.

Other features of Nothing’s newest flagship include an IP68 dust and water resistance rating, Corning Gorilla Glass protection, and a new Essential Search function to go alongside the physical Essential Key, which was introduced on the Phone 3a Pro.

Again, I only handled the phone for a few minutes at Nothing’s launch event, so I haven’t yet taken these new tools for a proper spin. But the bottom line is this: the Phone 3 is unlike any other device on the market right now, and I sincerely hope that its performance lives up to Nothing’s “flagship” billing. If the Snapdragon 8s Gen 4 can compete with Google’s Tensor G5, at the very least, then the Phone 3 could well be the most interesting phone of the year.

The device starts at $799 / £799 for the model with 12GB of RAM and 256GB of storage, with that price rising to $899 / £899 for 16GB and 512GB, respectively. Those figures put the Phone 3 in league with the iPhone 16, Samsung Galaxy S25, and Google Pixel 9, so stay tuned for our verdict on whether Nothing’s latest phone can compete with such big-name rivals.

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• WinRAR flaw let crafted archives drop files outside target folder, including into Windows Startup
• New version 7.12 addresses critical path and HTML vulnerabilities
• Windows users urged to update WinRAR for improved file safety

Iconic file archiving tool WinRAR has received a security update addressing a serious flaw that could let attackers run arbitrary code on affected systems.

The vulnerability, tracked as CVE-2025-6218, was identified in the way WinRAR handles file paths within archives.

It was discovered by a researcher known as whs3-detonator, working with Trend Micro’s Zero Day Initiative.

Patch now

The issue exists in Windows versions of WinRAR, where a specially crafted archive can exploit path traversal during file extraction.

If a user opens such a file or visits a malicious site, the exploit can allow files to be placed in unintended directories, including sensitive ones like the Windows Startup folder.

This could cause malicious software to run automatically when the system boots.

RARLAB, the developer of WinRAR, has released version 7.12 to address this flaw.

The vulnerability does not affect versions of RAR or UnRAR for Unix or Android. Users are urged to update as soon as possible to reduce the risk of exploitation.

To stay protected from threats like this, it’s important to use the best antivirus software, reliable malware removal tools, and strong endpoint protection. Even well-known tools can have flaws, so running trusted security software and keeping all apps current helps reduce the risk of malware slipping through unnoticed.

The new WinRAR update also fixes an unrelated issue involving the “Generate Report” feature. In older versions, file names in generated HTML reports weren’t sanitized properly, which allowed basic HTML injection. That has now been corrected.

In addition to the security fixes, WinRAR 7.12 now tests recovery volumes during archive testing, giving users better confirmation that backup files are intact. It also preserves precise nanosecond timestamps when modifying Unix files on Windows.

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Now I've had the Nothing Phone 3 in my hands, I quite like its unusual design.

From the quirky design to the more affordable price tag, the Nothing Phone 3 has plenty to be excited about.

While I have a few quibbles with Nothing's first over-ear noise-canceling headphones, I was more impressed with them than I expected to be.

The Nothing Phone 3 is here, and with it, the Glyph Matrix. Here's why Nothing's reinvention of its most bold design feature is a winner.

• Nothing Headphone (1) have noise cancellation, Transparency and Spatial Audio
• Hi-Res Audio, LDAC and USB-C lossless audio, with tuning by KEF
• Priced at $299 / £299, launching on July 15th

It's official: the striking Nothing Headphone (1) have launched, and they look like no other headphones thanks to a very unusual and somewhat retro-futuristic design.

There's substance to match the style. Developed in association with audio legend KEF, the Headphone (1) are the most premium headphones Nothing has made so far, by a long way. Nothing promises great sound, and a huge range of smart features.

We've already spent a few weeks testing the headphones, and you can read our full Nothing Headphone (1) review – but if you just want to find out more, here's what you need to know.

@techradar

♬ shine on - choppy.wav Nothing Headphone (1): pricing and availability

Headphone (1) will be available in black and white for £299 / $299 / €299 (about AU$625). Global pre-orders begin 4 July 2025 at nothing.tech and select partners, with widespread availability starting from 15 July 2025.

They're available in 'black' and 'white' colors, which are really 'dark gray' and 'silver'.

(Image credit: Nothing)Nothing Headphone (1): design

"We wanted to create something radically different," Nothing CEO Carl Pei said at a lauch event in London. He showed a series of images of competitor headphones, and said that Nothing specifically wanted Nothing Headphone (1) to stand right out, and that's definitely true.

There are some bold choices here, as you can see from the images. But it's not just in the headphones' looks: Nothing has deliberately moved away from touch controls to good old-fashioned tactile buttons and a roller for a more precise way to navigate media, adjust the volume and switch ANC modes.

The key control in the app is the Button, a customizable control that can activate Nothing's Channel Hop feature. This cycles between recent audio apps, or playlists, or favorite functions without having to dig through menus and screens.

It can also be configured to trigger voice commands, launch News Reporter, or open the Essential Space, which is an AI-powered place to store voice notes, reminders and "fleeting thoughts". Or you can just set it to trigger other functions of the headphones, if you prefer.

The earpads are made with leather ear cushions designed to mould naturally to the shape of your head, reducing pressure and providing a comfortable fit for all-day wear.

(Image credit: Nothing)Nothing Headphone (1): key features

The drivers are 40mm custom dynamic drivers promising deep bass, detailed mids and crisp treble, and the headphones come with hybrid ANC, a Transparency mode, and spatial audio with head tracking.

There's a 3.5mm jack for wired listening as well as USB-C for lossless hi-res, and the headphones also support LDAC for high quality wireless audio.

The active noise cancellation system has dual feed-forward and feedback microphones, and there's a four-mic system supported by AI and trained on more than 28 million noise scenarioes to deliver clear voice calls.

Listening time is promised as being up to 35 hours with ANC on, and a five-minute fast charge will deliver 2.4 hours of ANC-enabled playback. Bluetooth is 5.3 with dual device connection, Fast Pair and low latency mode.

The app provides an eight-band customizable EQ, a separate Bass Enhancer feature, the ability to choose how much noice cancellation you want, control of the spatial audio, and the ability to turn on the multi-point Bluetooth support and wear detection, so they'll pause when you take them off, and resume when you put them back on.

Will they challenge the best noise-cancelling headphones? Well, if you already took a look at our Nothing Headphone (1) review, you'll know the answer – take a full read to see if they're a good fit for you.

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